Swan Song
by Mianame
Summary: Washu goes to see her son again in the past, but unexpectedly runs into her old love Mikamo.WashuMikamo pairing. R&R PLEASE! FINISHED!
1. Chapter 1: The Woe of Memory

Note: I hope to someday turn this into a doujinshi, but for now it's going to be nothing more than a story. Feel free to send me feedback on it!  
And for those of you that might wonder later, here's a direct definition of swan song, so you might know why I chose it.  
Swan song: The last act or manifestation of someone or something; farewell appearance.

---Chapter 1-  
The Woe of Memory

Washu had managed to escape the embarrassing situation at which she had let her guard slip, spilling the truth of her past to the entire group when Taro left. Flirting with Tenchi had created the perfect diversion; Aeka and Ryoko were at it in less than a few minutes. Before long Tenchi attempted to intervene at which point she casually flickered away, appearing again in her lab.

She was in her usual seat, staring out at the green haze that created the boundaries of what she considered her home. She closed her eyes, attempting to take comfort in the familiar surroundings, taking in the smells of the trees mixed with metal, kicking off her shoes to let hose-covered feet run across the cool, wooden balcony floor. She needed to know that she hadn't ended up in some alternate reality. She needed to know that things around her were still solid and firm, much like her equations and hard, cold numbers. They were unchanging and emotionless, something that she longed to be.

But no matter how much she would like to deny it, there was no way for her to be like those heartless objects. She was what she was even if she did fight it. Slender fingers rose, thinking of bringing up her keyboard to disappear again in her world of science, but the idea was soon swept away.  
Instead she slumped forward, elbows on knees with gaze fixed on her large hands. It was an odd sight due to just how long it had been since she had seen herself in adult form. She didn't have time to change back when slipping away from the others.

And at the moment she felt no need. Instead she sat, calmly and quietly, for what seemed like ages. Then, very slowly, she began to cry. Only a few tears landing on her palms, then a whole wave.

She cried for hours, but it felt like days, even weeks. Her hands covered her face, she laid on her side as she wept, she changed from child to adult, even every now and then to a teenage age in between the two as she thought on her past and all that had happened to this point.

The loss of her son, the loss of Ryoko when she was captured, even the loss of adorable Ryo-ohki. And her husband...A man she still loved even despite herself. It was almost too much to bear.

It was only when she was lying on her back that she noticed just what time it was. The time simulation in her lab continued on its usual course, the green haze fading to that of a sunset before she was enveloped in darkness, manufactured stars lighting the balcony.

Washu felt as if she was slowly awakening from a very long sleep. Child hands wiped at her eyes which had swollen from all of the crying. Along with that, she felt unusually weak, like someone had sucked every ounce of energy from her.

She mustered up enough, however, to raise herself to a sitting position. She finally pulled up her keyboard with a sigh, typing in a few generic codes to make a black hole appear in the air. She pulled out a familiar object; a small tube, one end metal with small holes. A green liquid was cased within.

Washu pressed it to her shoulder, wincing slightly as the liquid took on a life of its own, shooting through the holes and through her skin to fill her system, relieving most of her tiredness in an instant along with the puffy eyes. Her unkempt hair even returned back to normal and any moisture on her skin from the tears quickly evaporated.  
She tossed the tube back into the hole, a light smile crossing her face as she prepared for work once more.

"No more silly thoughts for you," she mumbled to herself, fingers typing away with new vigor at the keys. The liquid worked its magic, letting half her brain shut down and daydream as her fingers kept working on one experiment or another. She didn't really pay attention; she was too busy trying to wipe her mind of unwanted thoughts.

It wasn't until she awoke after a small three hour nap the next day that she realized just what she had been working on; something that made her want to scream in frustration and anger.

Her last choice was to destroy the plans, but would she be able to bring herself to do it? Even she, Washu, the greatest genius in the universe, was unsure of how she would handle it. 


	2. Chapter 2: A Touching Breakfast

Note: This chapter felt rather useless to me, but it's what spilled out of me and, other than typos, I see no reason to change anything botut his story just yet. 

So yeah, might be pointless, but at least you get to see some of the other characters. Please review! I would love ot get some comments.

---Chapter 2-  
A Touching Breakfast

The clanking of the metal crab on the door quickly drew her attention. Washu swiftly pulled her hands down from her hair; she had been pulling at it in obvious frustration.

Tenchi peeked his head through the door, a look of worry on his face as he spoke, "Breakfast is ready Washu." His voice shook slightly with tension. As usual he was expecting to be tied up and tested.

A familiar smirk ran across Washu's face, her usual self appearing as she glanced back at him, acting as if she were typing on the keyboard as she answered, "Yes, yes. I'll be there in a minute."

A look of surprise crossed his face. He watched her a moment, blinking a few times before timidly speaking again, "Um..You don't want me for anything then?"

Washu's smirk turned into a grin, keyboard disappearing as she flipped around to face him. In a flash the metal orb appeared, ready to let tentacles fly and capture him. "Missing the experiments that much? I have enough information right now, unless you really want to be tied up that badly."

"N-no, that's fine! I'll see you at breakfast!" He eyed the orb a moment before slamming the door shut behind him. She could easily imagine him dashing away from the door as fast as his legs would carry him, a thought that made a soft chuckle rise.

Washu was rather silent during breakfast, but not a one took notice. She usually was anyway, completely ignoring the feud that busted out between Aeka and Ryoko. Yosho and Mihoshi seemed to be the only others that took no notice.

Tenchi tried to intervene, but as usual it did no good. In moments the cylindrical pieces of wood appeared in the air as Ryoko charged a ball of energy between her hands.

She continued to daintily grab bundles of rice from her bowl, pressing them into her mouth and chewing calmly as Ryoko moved onto the table, kicking aside some well-prepared food to which Sasami quickly whined her disappointment.

The small whine opened up a small hole in Washu's defenses. Sasami was so young. She wondered if her own child had acted like that as he grew up. She wondered how often his other mother had comforted him during the night, as she should have done. Did he like to cook? Play sports? Had he gained her brains? If only she could know..

When she zoned back in she noticed the fatal mistake she had made. All through her crying she had been very careful with keeping her shield up, not allowing Ryoko any way into her mind. The close range and her forgetfulness, however, must have allowed her in, for Ryoko was staring at her with a confused expression. The ball of energy had disappeared from between her hands, giving Aeka just the chance she needed to capture the 'monster' as she had just recently called her.

Ryoko was quickly distracted by this, barely making a leap to dodge a force field Aeka had been forming about her, giving Washu the chance to put her shield back up.

"Well, this is entertaining and all, but a creative genius like myself can't be sitting around doing nothing all day," she said with feigned confidence. She moved a little out of character, taking a step over the table to escape the uncomfortable situation all the quicker.

She did take a small moment to stop and give Sasami a pat on the head, smiling down at her, beaming with motherly instinct, "It was a wonderful meal, Sasami-chan. Thank you."

Sasami unwillingly blushed at the attention, a wide smile seen, "Thank you, Washu-chan!"

With that Washu disappeared into her lab before anyone could ask any more questions.


	3. Chapter 3: The Decision

Note: Should I stay or should I go nnnoooowwww? Haha, no. Read on.

---Chapter 3-  
The Decision

In her lab she stared at the plans she had absent-mindedly made the night before. She studied them thoroughly, looking for any false calculations, seeing if she could actually pull it off. Obviously her subconscious wanted her to and she wasn't sure she could live with herself if she didn't do it.

She just wanted to see him one more time. Just one more time.  
Washu had promised herself never to do it again, yet here she was, calculating and planning an object that she had thought so many times of making. Her mind protested and agreed, but as she began to gather the materials the protests slowly died down until they were almost nonexistent.

It took her two weeks to build it in which she barely made an appearance in the Masaki residence. No one seemed to notice, though she did get peculiar looks from Ryoko every now and then. Either she remembered whatever thoughts she had received from her mother that one day or Washu was accidentally letting her guard down every now and then.  
It would be no great surprise. Her emotions were awhirl as she worked relentlessly, attaching wires and melting metal with metal; she had no time to worry about what Ryoko received.

Still, she did take a few precautions. She built the item in another dimension where the family couldn't reach. Hopefully even Mihoshi couldn't find her way to the place that was carefully tucked away in the tiny nooks and crannies of her lab.

Even if Ryoko came to confront her about the connection, she would never be able to find the place.

Eagerness and fear welled inside her as she typed away furiously at her keyboard, taking shot after shot of her green fluid to keep her going, stopping every now and then for a nap and some actual food instead of her simulated nourishment. Near the end she did take a nap much longer than she expected, somewhere near fourteen to sixteen hours, but when she awoke she worked twice as fast with a newfound energy.

And finally her goal was completed. The metal floor she had created for this purpose was now filled with bundles of wires and tubes, allowing practically no room to walk.

The structure was rather simple; nothing more than a metal rectangle in the shape of a door. Next to it, however, was the powerhouse in which all of the wires spilled into. It was large and cylindrical, lights flashing across its entire surface, reaching at least three times the height of the door.

A small panel jutted from the object, obviously a keyboard, with a small screen floating right above it.  
Washu swelled with pride at her creation, but it was soon replaced with shock and fear. Why had she made this? Was she really planning on using it?

An odd but familiar urge surged through her body as she stood hunched, arms curled around her chest with eyes squinted shut, shivering with fear. She didn't want to look at herself, for she knew her body had answered her question.

Peeking one eye open, she saw that yes, she had returned to adult form. Along with that, her outfit had changed. A black shirt, buckled at the front by a gold triangle, a high collar, and baggy sleeves rolled up to reveal the white under half of the material. Her bottom half was covered in a simple pair of pale khaki pants, brown high heeled shoes completing the ensemble.

It was a familiar outfit; one she had worked in when making things during her Academy days. She sighed, feeling completely defeated. Worst off, she was being defeated by herself.

Washu made the keyboard appear again, typing to make a full-length mirror appear to check the outfit and her hair.  
"Since when have I ever cared about my appearance?" she mumbled to herself, frustrated and annoyed, but still not stopping as she primped herself. It took another few minutes of pacing and grumbling before she finally moved to the panel on her machine.

Washu typed furiously, the empty space between the bars that formed a door-like shape quickly filling with an array of colors. They swirled and twisted with one another, turning from white to pink to black and back again. The hum of the machine shook the entire floor, causing Washu's anticipation and nervousness to shoot up even higher.

Washu tapped the side of the cylinder, a small panel opening to reveal a silver remote control, an incomprehensible array of buttons covering its one side. She shoved it in her pocket.

She gathered herself quickly, taking a deep breath and calming herself. She took a few steps towards the swirling door, moving as if she were walking on glass. With one last breath, a stern face and a grunt of anger and eagerness, she thrust herself through the Time Machine. 


	4. Chapter 4: Recognition

Note: The Seniwa world was mentioned in most in-depth was biographies, not to mention a detailed story about her past that is now available translated online. I have yet to see the doujinshi that shows Seniwa, so I was forced to make everything up myself as far as architecture and scenery are concerned.  
The names of Washu's son and husband, Mikumo and Mikamo, are their actual names; I didn't make them up. I did, however, make up their personalities, since not much was shown on how they acted. 

--Chapter 4-  
Recognition

Her body warped and twisted in the curves of time, making her feel queasy and exhilarated all at once. For the most part it was darkness, but every now and then a flash of white light passed before her eyes, flickering like stars in and out of view.

It only lasted a few seconds. Soon she was completely absorbed in light, forcing her eyes shut to keep them burning from in the intense rays. Before she knew it the light faded.

Slowly she opened her eyes and peered about. The world was vastly different, and yet similar. Lush green grass rolled across the hills, ending in a line of trees that formed into mountains, jutting toward the heavens.

Looking to her right, she noticed that she had landed exactly where she wanted to. A large building towered before her, looking more like a castle than a home, obviously owned by someone of wealth.

It was her husband's home; the Kuramitsu residence.

She pulled out the small remote and turned about to the door still open behind her, pressing a few buttons to make it disappear. She mused over how much easier it was to sneak into the establishment with her new technology. It had taken her and her best friend Naja several years to work past the security system of the heavily guarded Seniwa planet, but now it only took a couple of weeks.

She placed the remote back in her pocket, fully planning on sneaking her way about the grounds to find her son and spy on him from a distance. She definitely didn't want to go through an emotional reunion. She just wanted to see him.

Washu had barely gotten the remote in her pocket before her 'perfect' plan was spoiled. Shooting out of the door came a young boy, blonde hair shaped just like his father's, green eyes piercing her even from the distance between them. She knew she stuck out like a sore thumb; her outfit and hair always made her a little recognizable.

She cursed herself for not planning for him being in the house! She figured he would be out playing as any child should be, but she had come back when he was at a more sophisticated age; he had just turned fifteen if she had come at the right time. By this time he would be learning the tricks of the Seniwa trade instead of tossing a ball around with his younger sister.

His strong eyes surveyed her; Washu's breath caught in her throat. She watched him as he watched her, silently, a calm and gentle look reflecting in her eyes. He was half on guard, fists tight with legs spread in an attacking stance.

Washu couldn't move for the longest time. Her heart felt full for the first time in ages. Simply seeing him filled her with such joy that she was close to tears. Slowly, a gentle, motherly smile spread across her lips. She spread her hand slightly, showing him that she held no weapons.

By this time Mikumo had grown more curious than guarded. His gaze was guarded, then studying, and finally questioning. His fingers relaxed, legs moving together in a normal standing posture as he slowly approached.

Washu made herself all the more vulnerable to him by falling to her knees. Not only did she do it to make him more trusting, but she did it because she felt that she could barely hold herself up anymore. It took all effort within her to keep tears from streaming down her cheeks. She couldn't remove the smile as he moved closer, finally stopping only a few paces away, reaching about the height of her now that she was on her knees before him.

He was dressed finely as ever. A white formal suit with large shoulder pads that were a faded shade of pink made his top, gold buttons holding it in place over his chest. Matching pants and a pair of black, polished shoes made up his bottom. Green eyes were vibrant with curiosity, blonde locks falling between them every so often.

He finally spoke, his voice still showing his youth despite his grown appearance, "Strangers aren't allowed on these lands."

Washu smiled, hands folding before as she watched him. She took in every little detail, every small movement. Hopefully she would never forget, for this was the last time she would ever gaze upon him. Her voice was no more than a whisper, "I'm no stranger."

"Then who are you?" he demanded in a voice that was a little too loud. He was trying to be forceful, to be the strong man of the house, but he still had a way to go. Still, his mother beamed with pride at his assertiveness.

"Don't you recognize me?" she answered, voice growing a little stronger now. It took a few gulps to keep her tears back.  
He studied her again, curiosity once again growing. And then, slowly, recognition. He gasped, mouth agape while pointing an accusing finger, "You! You're the Lady of the Snow! You tried to steal me away when I was little!"

_So that's how he dealt with my last appearance_, Washu thought. She didn't dispute him, but only looked at him. _Look at me she thought_, willing him, hoping her would understand, _Look at my eyes. They're the same as yours. We are the same!_

It was almost as if he heard every thought. His eyes had grown wide with astonishment as he stared at her. A calmness suddenly overwhelmed him, as if emitting from her. Without even knowing why, he blurted out one single word, "Mother?"

Washu had disappeared into her own little world, just her and her son, and her dream had come true. He had recognized her for what she was without having to tell him. He remembered her! Her remembered his real mother! Her world was complete.

"Washu?!" a cry appeared from nowhere. She was forced to snap back to reality, looking about frantically as if taking in the world for the first time. Her son had whirled, looking toward his home. She did the same, only to gasp in surprise.

There, only a few paces away, stood a tall, handsome man. His blonde hair was bright as ever, the dark, tanned skin of his form accenting it perfectly. He wore a matching white outfit as her son Mikumo's. His blue eyes were familiar and strong, threatening to swallow her whole as they had so many years ago.

Her ex-husband, Mikamo, had the ability to capture any woman. And by the way he stomped toward her, it seemed he planned on capturing her again.


	5. Chapter 5: To Capture a Genius

Note: Nothing more to say on this one. I hope you enjoy it and please review! 

---Chapter 5-  
To Capture a Genius

In a flash Washu had shoved her hand in her pocket, wrenching the remote free, fingers flying across the keypad. This was a bad idea. She shouldn't have done it, and she cursed herself for being so selfish.

Washu didn't pay attention to her surroundings; her stunned son was set at the back of her mind along with his father, who started jogging toward them now when he noticed the swirling time portal that had opened.

She wanted to say goodbye to her son, but there was no time. She didn't look back, but instead hurled herself toward the portal. One arm entered, stretching and warping with the time, zipping across thousands of years until it was suddenly jerked out.

She was too slow. Mikamo had caught up and had grabbed her free wrist, wrenching her free from the portal. He was whirling her about to face him and, before she even knew what was happening, her freed hand had raised. She didn't even get a clear look at his face before her palm struck his cheek, slapping him as hard as she could manage.

It was only after the action that her mind became aware of why she had done it. He had taken her son, broken her heart, and this was the first time she had seen him after that tragedy he had brought down upon her. Even his touch seemed repulsive to her. And, yet, it made her heart leap as it had so many years ago.

Mikamo didn't seem too surprised. He took the blow, head twisting to one side from the sheer force of the slap. His other hand quickly raised to capture her free wrist, obviously not wishing a repeat of such an action. His cheek flushed red, but he paid it no heed. Instead his blue eyes locked with her fiery green ones, a light smile finally breaking across his face as he whispered, "Hello Washu-chan."

"Dad?" Mikumo squeaked out, interrupting the moment that the two had fallen into. He was trying to hide his confusion, hands behind his back, spine straight, but he shifted slightly on his feet, betraying his attempts at casualness. He seemed nervous and curious all at the same time, eyes still washing over the woman he had called mother.

The one word seemed like some secret code for the two. Mikamo nodded toward the house, "Go inside, son." Mikumo's mouth opened to protest, but his father cut him off, "I'll explain everything when we get inside."

Washu couldn't help noticing that his voice had grown deeper over the years, much more sophisticated. He seemed stronger and more confident than ever before; he was no longer the stuttering, bumbling student she had once had in her class.

She forced herself off that train of thought, though. The last thing she needed was to start dredging up these emotions. Mikamo, however, seemed to want just that. She avoided eye contact with him, but his gaze burned for her, never leaving her face. He suddenly moved, freeing her wrists, but in a second his arms were around her, pulling her into a tight hug.

Washu pulled in a sharp breath of surprise, body stiffening within his grasp. She could feel every part of his toned chest through the material of his shirt, even the probing fingers that had worked around to her spine, rolling across the length of it before settling on the small of her back. Her face turned a feverish red, only for a moment, before she returned to her senses.

This wasn't what she had come here for! Her anger at him swelled again. With all her force she pressed her hands against him, forcefully shoving him off of her.

She glared at him, the seething hatred shooting toward him in waves as she finally spoke, "Don't touch me again." Her arms crossed protectively over her chest, taking the chance to regain her composure, though with his next statement didn't let it last long.

Mikamo started, "Washu, if you would just let me explain-"

"-Explain?!" she barked, the white hot anger rising again, "Explain how you abandoned me! How you just left one morning, with my child, saying you were 'going for a walk'. Then I get a message from Naja telling me that-" she stopped, already trembling with emotion as she recalled it all. She turned from him, holding herself tightly to keep the tears from falling. A few slow breaths later, she finished in a much softer voice, "-that you were never coming back."

She didn't want him to explain. She didn't want any excuses; it was easier to blame him. To her left the portal still stood open. She made another quick dash for it, but Mikamo wouldn't allow it. He was in front of her in an instant, blocking the path to the portal, his hands moving to her shoulders to stop her in her tracks. He finally spoke again, "We need to talk things out."

"It's too late to talk anything out."

"Better late than never, in my opinion." He glanced back at the portal, gesturing to it with his head, "Shut it down." His voice was strong with an authoritative tone that she had never heard from him before. She stared at him defiantly until he softened, light smile appearing again, "Please shut it down."

After a moment of consideration, she ran her fingers over the keypad that was still grasped in her hand. The door flickered, then faded completely. She pulled herself from his hands, shoving the remote back in her pocket. He continued to stare at her, Washu standing quietly and strong. But her impatience became apparent, "Well, what do you want?!"

Mikamo smiled, "I'm sorry, it's just good to see you again. You seem..different. Stronger, I suppose." He moved a hand toward her, but didn't touch her since she flinched away. Instead he gestured her toward the house, "Please, let's find a more comfortable place to speak."

Washu grudgingly agreed, moving as he gestured, Mikamo staying close to her side as if expecting her to run again. Either that or he simply wanted to be close to her.

"Don't you think your wife will be a little upset that you're bringing an ex-wife into the house?" Washu threw the small jibe at him, attempting to make him feel guilty about hugging her and inviting her into his home.

But Mikamo only smiled, sadly this time, pain sweeping through his eyes, "No. She died two years ago."


	6. Chapter 6: Hold It In

Note: Thank you all soooo much for the comments! It may not be many comments to most, but don't get reviews on my stories much at all, so this really made me overjoyed that people actually read this. It inspired me to actually continue. 

Sorry for how lengthy this one is, but at some points it's very important for it to be so. I hope you enjoy it!

---Chapter Six-  
Hold It In

Washu wanted to smack herself. It was a rude thing to say in the first place, but even worse since the woman had passed on. She knew people like Ryoko would take this moment to claim victory of their now single love, but Washu had met Koyori once before. She was a kind woman who had let her see her son again on that winter day when she had been named The Lady of the Snow.

"I'm sorry, Mikamo-kun," she mumbled out.

"Ah, Mikamo-kun. It's nice to hear you say my name again," he said, completely ignoring the insult she had given him earlier. They walked in silence until reaching the house. Mikamo was nice enough to open the door for her before he filed in behind her.

The interior was even more impressive. Each wall was covered in wood paneling, intricate lines carved on each, swirling and twisting with one another, rising to the high arched roofs. Massive glass windows ran from floor to ceiling, stained glass ranging from green to pink to blue. If that didn't give enough light, the massive chandeliers and sconces that filled every wooden panel would certainly do the trick.

"This doesn't fit you at all," she commented, studying the walls while following him as he lead the way to a pair of double doors.

"It's my father's old estate. Suits him perfectly, but you're right. It's not much my taste." Mikamo lead the way across the large room, sticking close to Washu's side as they made their way through a few identical rooms, all intricate carvings and stained glass.

He finally turned and opened another door for her, letting her enter a room that was the complete opposite of the previous rooms. The ceiling was nothing but glass, half a sphere making a dome shape over a round platform of wood. A red carpet encircled most of the floor, various shades of said color forming rings across it. Matching couches encircled a small wooden table in the center.

More than anything, however, the view was what instantly caught one's attention. Washu was thrown into a small state of awe, though she did a superb job at not letting it show on her face. Outside the glass lay lush green grass, much taller than what she had seen before, split by hundreds of streams, all shimmering with fast running water, some no wider than her finger while others had to be near six feet wide. They all ran together and broke apart again, the source of the water being a massive waterfall gushing over the edge of a rocky drop off.

She was only pulled away from the sight when something began dancing in her pocket. Before she knew what it was it was gone and, patting her pocket, she found the remote was gone too. She whirled quickly, her fury well placed it seemed for Mikamo held the remote between both of his hands.

"Please sit, Washu-san. I'll give this to you when you're ready to go home," he said.

"I'm ready to go home now."

He took a step forward, she quickly stepped back. His eyes stayed focused on her own, "Are you really? You're not even the slightest bit curious as to why I left you so abruptly?"

She tried as hard a she could to stare him down, to win the dare, but it was no use. She was utterly defeated, for she did indeed want to know. It would be harder to take, but the truth was always best. She didn't say a word, but simply glared as she finally moved to rest on one of the couches. Mikamo moved to sit by her, but wisely changed his mind when he saw the look she gave him.

Washu made it plenty clear that she was uncomfortable with the situation by crossing her arms and tossing one leg over the other, once again avoiding eye contact. Mikamo seemed to pay no heed, however. Instead he settled into his seat, fingers flexing before him to make a computer screen, much like Washu's but not transparent, appear before him. With a few slaps on the keys a pot of tea and glasses appeared on the table. The remote had been neatly tucked into one of his pockets.

Washu stared at the scenery as he poured them drinks. She didn't touch her glass. With a sigh Mikamo leaned forward, elbows on knees as he sipped and stared unhappily at his drink. After a moment of thought he finally began, "You know the main reason why I left Washu. My father died and the opening up of my country became less and less supported. I had to come to take care of things, to try and keep my father's dream alive and end this stupid war with Jurai. Yes, I took our child and yes, I never told you I was leaving. I did it because I couldn't stand the thought of seeing your face so sad, like it is now." His voice had grown weaker near the end of his words, wavering slightly. He jerked on his seat, obviously fighting to keep himself from scooping Washu up to in his arms right then and there and holding her until the grief went away.

Washu wasn't crying, but her look was enough to show the pain she was going through. Memories she had tried so hard to suppress flooded in with each of his words; it took every grain of willpower in her to keep the tears from rolling free. Her hands were clenched so tight around her body that her knuckles hard turned white. She felt if she let go everything would burst free, every single thing that she had pent up to keep from having the emotions she had now.

She understood his reasons, but it was no excuse for her. It would never be a good enough reason for leaving her and taking her son. It could never be forgiven. She suddenly raised to her feet, tilting her head up to force the tears back in her eyes. After a deep breath she had managed to get control again. She slowly fell into her normal, usual self; strong and confident.

"I'm going to say goodbye to my son and then I'm leaving. I will get that remote when I please," her voice was like stone itself. By this time Mikamo was on his feet, his own expression sad and worried. He only gave a little nod before setting down his tea and moving to the door to lead her to her son.

They were silent and Mikamo seemed content with walking in front of her instead of beside her. Washu took the time of walking through the maze of hallways and staircases to fully compose herself. She had a grip on her emotions again and she was determined not to lose it in front of him again.

They stopped at the first door up a set of staircases. Mikamo knocked gently on the wood to which a muffled voice answered, "Come in." Mikamo was polite enough to step aside and motion to the door, giving Washu privacy with her son. After another small breath she stepped in.

Mikumo's room was likewise small, his tastes obviously much like his father's. He liked things simpler. Four scarlet walls with no decoration, one window, a bed, and a few toys strewn here and there made up his room. He was lying on his bed staring at the ceiling, but something seemed to alert him that his father wasn't entering. He suddenly bolted straight up, staring wide-eyed at the stranger.

Washu smiled. He was turning into a fine lad with strong instincts. Pride overwhelmed her at nothing but the sight of him. The door clicked behind her as she took a couple of steps in. He scrambled away as she sat at the foot of his bed, looking perplexed and frightened all at once. Of course he did his best not to show his fear.

"Mikumo-chan, I can't tell you how happy I am to see you again. Do you remember me?" her voice was soft and urgent; she desperately wanted him to remember even if he had shown small signs of it when they just recently met. She wanted to know if he consciously remembered her, not just subconsciously.

"No," he spoke bluntly, crushing her hopes. Mikumo was quick to blurt out his own question, "Are you the Lady of the Snow? Have you come to steal me away?"

Washu laughed at the preposterous idea, even though it had run through her mind from time to time. With a shake of her head she answered, "No, I am no Lady of the Snow. My name is Washu Hakubi."

"What are you doing here?" Mikumo spit out the next question. Washu felt like she was in an interrogation, but she didn't mind. He deserved to have these questions answered.

"I came to see you," Washu said and quickly continued even as Mikumo opened his mouth to speak, "May I ask you a question?"

"Yes."

"Why did you call me mother?"

Mikumo stopped a moment, seeming puzzled over the reason himself. It was obvious that he had been thinking it over, however, for his eyes met hers, flicking his gaze from one to the other. His voice was soft and a little unsure, "Because your eyes are the same color as mine."

Washu's heart skipped a little. Maybe, possibly, he was remembering. She turned a little more toward him, leaning in with intensity, voice almost a whisper, "Yes, our eyes are the same. There are no differences. Do you know why?"

It seemed that Washu had simply lit an idea that had been burning in him for a long time. She was his mother and the look of realization on his face came quick and hard. But he tried to shield himself from the idea, speaking weakly but with a defiant tone, "My mother is Koyori Kuramitsu."

"You know that's not true," she whispered back. His fists had clenched to the sheets of his blankets, his face tight and unwilling. He didn't want to know, but Washu needed him to have the truth.

She spilled the entire story to him, everything from when she first met Mikamo. She told him about Naja, how both Jurai and Seniwa were in a war that forced Mikamo to leave. She didn't tell him about the heart wrenching way he did it, for the last thing Mikumo needed was to hate his father. After all, he had just lost one mother and now regained another one.

By the time she finished Mikumo was crying silently, soft streams rolling down his face. Washu couldn't help doing the same; she was glad Mikamo wasn't there to see. Mikumo held onto the blankets for dear life, knuckles white as he swallowed. His voice was weak as he repeated the word he had spoke so shortly ago, "Mother?"

"Yes," Washu whispered through her own tears and held out her arms to him. It only took that small motion for Mikumo to suddenly fling forward, arms wrapping tightly around her as he bawled into her shoulder.

Washu was nothing but joy. Her tears were no longer from sadness of memories, but from the joy of finding her son again. She had never really lost him spiritually, but to hold him in his arms and cradle him, whispering gently to him of how much she loved him; there was nothing like it in the world. She held him close, squeezing him tightly and tenderly kissing his head, her tears coming stronger with every moment. It took them some time to separate, wiping tears off of their faces and smiling broadly.

Washu knew if she stayed any longer, she wouldn't be able to leave. So, unhappily, she told him that she would have to be on her way.

"Will you ever come back?" he asked

.  
"No," Washu said, in a voice so soft that it was a wonder that he heard.

"But why?" he said, exasperated at the very thought of losing yet another mother.

"It's too complicated to explain," she sighed out.

Washu was suddenly tackled by him again, clinging hard to her and burying his face in her again. It took more tears and pain for both of them. Washu had to physically pull his arms off of her to free herself from his grasp.

She stood quickly so he couldn't do it again. Mikumo did the same, physically fighting with running to her and holding to her again. Surprisingly enough he didn't ask any more about why she was leaving; instead he simply pleaded.

"Please don't go," he whispered, voice wavering.

"I love you son," she whispered back. Before she was convinced to stay, she whirled and stepped out of the door, praying he wouldn't follow.

He didn't. Instead she was greeted by Mikamo who had obviously been waiting for her. By the time she had closed the door he was upon her, one of his hands grasping hers and tugging her close. It seemed more like an instinctive move; he had obviously seen just how emotionally moved she was when walking out of the door. Before she had time to realize what was going on his other hand was busy wiping the tears from her cheeks.

"My poor Washu. How I've made you suffer," he whispered. It was obviously the wrong thing to say. She jerked and tugged until he released her. She turned from him again, long enough to wipe what tears he missed and attempt to get rid of any remnants of crying. Without a word she whirled again, hand now stuck out with palm up, stern gaze telling him just what she wanted.

With a sigh he relented. The remote soon appeared from his pocket. He stepped closer than needed, one hand holding hers as the other placed the object in her palm. She tried to jerk away, but he held tight.

"You could stay with us Washu. You wanted to see Mikumo before I could tell you the rest of what I had to say. The was is over. Seniwa has opened and is now in good relations with Jurai. I have no political obligations as far as marriage goes now. I've been searching for you for the past year and no one seems to know what has happened to you. I wanted-no, I still want- to marry you and live happily ever after. I've never stopped feeling for you."

"It's more complicated than that. I can't stay for reasons that I can't tell you," she said. It was easier for him to just believe that she was the Washu from that time .

Still, the offer was more than tempting. The very fact that he mentioned his own feelings struck her hard, causing her to hold her breath for a moment. It was hard to think that he truly felt for her with the way he left. Besides that, she noticed that he hadn't used the word 'love' in his sentence. That made her decision more than anything. She wouldn't stay with any man that didn't love her.

She tugged herself away again, taking a step back and letting fingers dance across the keypad. The portal appeared again, door-shaped with colors swirling. She turned to take one last look at her ex-husband. He stood straight and stiff as ever, acting much like his son and trying to fight his feelings of sadness, she could see. Though she had avoided his eyes as much as possible throughout their time together, she now stared directly into them, taking the chance that she might be swooned and persuaded into staying by doing so.

But she wasn't. Instead she was simply entranced for a moment. She wouldn't forget his face either, even if she wanted to.

"Good bye, Mikamo-kun," Washu said finally. He didn't respond, but she didn't give him much time to.

A foot and a hand slipped into the door before something hard pressed against her back; warm, yet firm. She gasped in surprise as Mikamo's head came to rest on her shoulder, a broad smile seen as he whispered, "Gotcha!"

And he gave one final shove, forcing them through the gap in time.


	7. Chapter 7: This Is How To Love

Notes: Thank you so much Kasai to Kasumi for that compiment you gave! Anybody wishing they had come up with makes me feel incredibly happy! And I loved your reaction Dark-Illusion! XD Glad you enjoyed it!

Thank you to anyone else who has cotninued or started reading. This chapter was seriously not stopping at all, so I just picked a point to finally cut it off. This means that half of chapter eight is already written, so that will be up very soon.

I also noticed that I was making a bit of a mistake. I'm pretty sure that 'san' at the end of a name is only for men and I was putting it at the end of Washu's name, so I've now changed ti to 'sama'. I might go back and update the other chapters later.

Please review if you like it!

---Chapter 7---  
This Is How To Love

Lights flashed and their bodies shot across thousands of years before one final, bright light blinded them both. They reached the end of their trek.

Washu landed with a thud upon the many wires on the floor. She winced at the pain; the fall threatened to knock the wind out of her. But she regained herself rather quickly, assessing the new situation with panic that she didn't care to show on her face.

Mikamo landed on top of her, which was the main reason she stayed pinned to the floor, not to mention the reason she felt panicy. He didn't seem to be willing to move, though he did have the decency to put some weight on his hands and hold himself up a little while staring in awe at the new place he had entered.

Washu struggled and squirmed, pushing back against him to try and get him to move, "Do you mind?!" she practically growled out.

His attention quickly snapped back to her, a wide grin spilling across his face. He pressed down again. Not enough to hurt her, but just enough for her to feel the warmth of his body. A chill ran along her spine as he leaned in close, lips pressing against her neck as he whispered seductively, "I don't know, I'm pretty comfortable." She could feel the heated air from his mouth flow across her skin.

It took every last bit of will power she had to refuse him. With one rather harsh shove she finally forced him to relent, pushing him into a sitting position to let her finally move and put some distance between them again.

"Where are we?" Mikamo asked. He had settled in now, preparing for a long discussion. He didn't seem to care that he was sitting on hard metal wires; it was just the opposite. Instead he tucked his shins beneath him, hands resting on his knees as he awaited an answer.

Washu wasn't prepared to tell him much. She showed as much by standing up and brushing herself off, "Somewhere that you're not going to be staying for long."

"I beg to differ."

She ignored him. Studying the wires carefully, she made sure none had been damaged in their fall and, after deciding that none had, she moved to the panel on the cylindrical powerhouse of her machine. She began typing madly, trying to figure out just when they left to pinpoint the moment that she would send him back to.

The little bastard, she thought, Things would have been fine if he hadn't shown up. I just could have visited Mikumo and left nice and quietly-

"Is this a part of a lab in the Academy? I don't remember this room if it is."

"No, it's not," she spat. With a few more clicks on the keyboard, the colored opening shifted. The swirling colors turned a little brighter and changed direction, moving in a counter clockwise instead of clockwise.

Washu looked down at Mikamo, doing her best to keep eyes emotionless. She reached a hand out, grabbing onto one of his arms and trying to tug him up, "You've already made enough of a mess of things. Just leave. Now!"

Mikamo took hold of her hand. She did her best to pull away, but he wasn't letting go. His eyes seeked for hers, but she refused to meet them. She kept her gaze trained on the floor as he spoke in that soothing tone she knew so well, "Washu-sama, can't you admit that you're just a little happy to see me? Can't we just talk for at least a few minutes? I can't let go of you this easily."

"According to my memory, it seems very simple for you to let go of me," her voice was nothing but ice. She would have gotten away with giving him the cold shoulder, but she made the mistake of looking into his eyes. Those bright, strong eyes were too much for her to handle. She couldn't stay mad at him forever, no matter how much she tried.

She didn't say anything, but Mikamo seemed to sense her melting, even if only a little, and finally coming around. He stood slowly, both hands now cupping hers as he spoke gently, "Now Washu-sama, where are we? I can tell that you're holding something back from me."

She sighed heavily. She was more than unwilling to tell him. She had already screwed up the time line enough and there was no telling what kind of damage could be done if he actually knew he had warped through time. But his eyes were strong as ever and the words fell out before she could think of stopping them, "We're over 20,000 years in the future."

It was worth telling him to see his surprised face with mouth agape and eyes wide. She did her best not to laugh, but a small smirk did play across her lips. She took his moment of surprise to also regain her hand, tugging it free from his grasp.

"20,000 years-?"

"In the future, yes. I'm not the Washu from your time, I'm the Washu from this time." She turned back to the keyboard, making sure all of the adjustments were right. She also put away the remote to make sure he didn't get the idea of taking it with him. She spoke while finishing her task, taking advantage of his surprised silence, "Now you see why it's imperative for you to return to your time as quickly as possible. I'm afraid to even look at the history of Seniwa now that you've gone from it. I can't imagine how many things have been altered by this." She couldn't keep the scorn out of her voice. She always hated it when her projects went wrong, which wasn't very often.

"You might have messed up plenty of things by showing up yourself, you know. I'm not the only one to blame here," he retorted. It only made Washu madder, mainly because she knew he was right.

"All right, I'll be sure to fix that too. First I have to get you home." She turned to face him and pointed to the portal, looking like someone telling a bad dog to go home.

Mikamo stood and considered, one hand rubbing his chin as he glanced over the portal. His gaze suddenly flicked to Washu, a little smile already seen at the corners of his lips, "But obviously with this new timeline this place hasn't been destroyed. You can take me back at any moment and put me back at the same point in which I left. Nothing will be changed but my memory."

"Your point being?" she said skeptically.

"Please Washu-sama, let me stay with you for just one night. I promise that, after that, I will go back without fuss. I'll do whatever you say if you give me just a little more time with you."

Her heart fluttered, her face flushed, and she could barely think. He was right. They could have one night together. Hell, they could have quite a while if they wanted. Maybe she could forget her scorn towards him for one night and they could be in love again, like they were so long ago. She held her breath as she thought, taking in his image as he stood straight with hands clasped together, almost as if he were praying.

Her brain hadn't even noticed that her hand was moving. She pressed a few memorized buttons and the warp portal disappeared.

Mikamo smiled, looking relieved, "Thank you Washu-sama."

"Come on, let's see how much of my lab isn't destroyed," she said, moving away from him as he stepped closer. He was obviously going to give her a hug of thanks, but she didn't want it; not yet. She wasn't so mad that she wouldn't allow physical contact anymore. Now, more than anything, she was frightened of what would happen if she did.

A door faded into existence a few paces away. She could hear Mikamo whispering 'incredible' to himself, causing another smirk from her. Anyone praising her ingenuity was always a plus.

She allowed him to step through the door first mainly because she didn't want him to hang around and explore everything as he often did. She moved behind him and they soon ended up in the main part of her lab. She was happy to see it again, all of the plants and wires along with the simulated sky. It was mid-day on Earth according to her machines. The green background hazed into a light yellow, the colors sending a bright, warm sunlight across the wooden balcony, trees, and her favorite hovering cushion.

"This is amazing!" Mikamo gasped out in awe.

"I know," she answered. She was elated at all of the attention and she couldn't deny her know-it-all attitude. She brought up her computer in front of her fingers, typing away for a while. The door to the Masaki residence appeared and, after a few more strokes, she turned it red, barring the way for anyone who might enter. That was if they still existed in this new time. She didn't care to find out.

"So what are you doing here 20,000 years in the future? Did you transport here with that machine of yours?" he asked. He had begun walking toward the edge of the balcony, hands behind his back, taking a small glance to make sure that she followed.

She only did after typing enough to make another hovering pillow appear next to hers, the same shape and size. She soon caught up with him and shook her head, "No, I lived that long."

Washu couldn't help an outright laugh at his surprised face. After Mikamo got done nosily peaking over the balcony and gasping in awe at what he saw, he settled into place on the cushion she had conjured.

Washu had never had a chance to tell him much about her past. She had told him that she was an orphan but had never mentioned the three gems that accompanied her. She explained it all now and how she had the ability to change form and age. She found herself yammering on as she went into detail on what had happened to her in the past 20,000 years.

Mikamo didn't seem to mind. He leaned in facing her, elbows on knees, smiling and nodding and throwing in questions here and there. Washu didn't face him, but kept forward, watching the sky. She was still frightened of those ice blue eyes. He seemed a little jealous when she mentioned Tenchi and how she called him guinea pig.

"Oh, don't worry," she laughed out, "He's only seen me once in my adult form. I usually look like a 12 year old girl when I'm in the Masaki residence."

"Why's that?"

Washu had all but forgotten who she was talking to. It was his fault after all. But, if nothing else, she felt he needed to know how much of an impact he had on her life. Her voice was soft as she answered, "Because grown ups have to deal with social status and politics. It means the world to them and can ruin someone else's dreams. If that's how the world is, I don't ever want to grown up." She could feel herself trying, willing to change back to her 12 year old state, but she didn't want Mikamo to see her like that. She held her ground and stayed an adult.

Her fists clenched on her knees, tugging at the material of her pants as Mikamo stared, struck speechless by just how much he had affected her. He finally did respond. He leaned in, arms curling around her waist and tugging her from the cushion. She gasped in surprise as she was suddenly jerked onto his pillow, back pressing against his chest, body resting between his legs. His arms encircled her stomach all the tighter.

"Washu-sama, I am so sorry. I can never tell you just how sorry I am," he whispered.

She was uncomfortable in the new position he had chosen for them. She continued to squirm, her breathing growing quicker as she tried her best to swallow down her emotions. He had to lock his hand tight around her to keep her in place.

The thing that finally stopped her struggling was his words. Until that moment he had never apologized verbally. Sure, he showed it in his face and how he explained things, but he had never said 'sorry'. That changed everything for her.

Washu resisted the changes she felt within her. She tried to keep that scorn that she had held onto for thousands of years. Her unwilling feelings slowly began to disappear as she felt his fingers press tighter against her stomach, his head resting on her shoulder, his body so close to hers. It had been too many years since she had been held by anyone in more than a friendly manner. She took in everything about him; his scent, his warmth, the feel of his skin and clothing. She never wanted him to let go. Without a word or movement she could feel her heart melting, finally letting go of all of the anguish and bitterness she had kept so close to her.

Mikamo once again sensed the change. It was almost as if he felt the ice melting from her. Her muscles relaxed, she fell against him. She was suddenly willing.

He pressed his lips near her neck, "Washu-sama-"

"No," she whispered back, "Please don't say anything. Just hold me."

They melted together, fitting perfectly. She leaned against him, he supported her. Her fingers rest on his, lacing with them, holding them firmly. Her breathing was relaxed, as was his. They watched the sunset slowly fade, melting into night. The black sky appeared above their heads, bright stars twinkling.

It was one of the most romantic moments Washu had ever had in her life. She jerked in surprise at the feel of his warm lips against her neck, placing gentle butterfly kisses along the edge. As she tensed he stopped. When she relaxed he continued, working across her jaw line, seeking her lips..

Until the jingling crab on the Masaki door began ringing.


	8. Chapter 8: At Long, Long Last

Author's Notes: This chapter gave me an insane amount of trouble. you see, I've studied Washu extensively. Love her to pieces, draw her, write about her, etc. But as for the rest of the characters. Well, I've sort of neglected learning practically anything aobut them, especially their personalities. So writing about them proved exceedingly difficult. I sort of spit this one out, especialy the end, to try and move the story along. I promise it will get better after this. The end is coming soon.

Thanks to all on the help with the chan, sama, kun etc.

I'd like to give sopecial thanks to Dark-Illusion for sending me a message that jarred me back into writing on this story that I had practically given up on.

Please read and review!! Reviews keep me writing.

---Chapter 8-  
At Long, Long Last

Washu and Mikamo were both suddenly jerked from their happiness. She jumped to attention, glaring back at the door. The crab-shaped bell clattered and fell with the force, the door bending and swaying beneath the pressure of something on the other side.

Washu was suddenly hit with a flood of words transmitted from Ryoko. She slowly realized that Ryoko had been yelling at her for a while; she just hadn't been paying attention. Now she definitely was.

"_What the Hell are you doing in there?! If you don't quite sending me these perverted thoughts I'm gonna bust this door down!"_ Ryoko yelled.

Washu pressed her fingers to her forehead with annoyance. Since when were thoughts of romance perverted? To Ryoko romance probably was perverted while sex was romantic. She sighed and answered through the link, _Leave that door alone, it's locked for a reason. I just got careless. I'll cut off the link._

But the pounding door didn't stop. Ryoko spoke while hitting continuously, _Damnit Washu! If you have Tenchi in there I swear-_

Washu cut off the link before she could finish. The pounding continued, the door swaying more than ever.

"What is that?" Mikamo asked, looking a little more than worried as he watched the door sway with even greater force.

"My daughter," Washu said, glaring at her computer as it faded into existence before her. She glanced over at Mikamo, who stared at her wide-eyed.

"Your daughter?"

"I'll explain later." Ryoko was one point she had skipped over during her explanation of her past. For some reason it didn't feel appropriate to tell him.

Washu had only gotten a few keystrokes in before the door finally burst beneath the pressure. A cloud of smoke and energy appeared through the entrance, the wood splintering into a thousand pieces and soaring through the air. Washu managed to get a small shield around the both of them before the ball of energy that had broken the door hit them. It bounced off the shield, along with many pieces of shattered door, before bouncing up and exploding on the ceiling.

The gray-haired woman shot through opening, eyes aflame with a roar of anger already escaping her lips. Fists were ready as she flew, fully intent on getting her hands on her maker and showing her what's for. Washu was calm enough, increasing the power of the shield to compensate for her daughter's rough way of dealing with things.

By this time Ryoko had slowed slightly when she realized that it wasn't Tenchi she had. But she still seemed intent on grabbing Washu and shaking some answers out of her.

Mikamo wasn't willing to sit still as she came charging. He grasped Washu at the waist, tugging her back and forcing her behind him. Even with the shield firmly in place he was intent on protecting her, strong gaze settled on the flaying female.

Ryoko halted immediately in her tracks. She hovered there for a minute, look of anger turning to one of perplexed thought. She studied the man that stood before her target, standing strong and stern with obviously no intention of moving. Washu finally appeared around his side, her arms wrapping around one of his in an obvious attempt to calm him.

"Ryoko, what are you doing?! How dare you break into Washu-chan's lab so rudely-," Aeka had entered, running after Ryoko as she bust her way through. She had just gotten a hand on her arm, ready to pull Ryoko out before noticing the man.

"Oh, hello sir" she said, quickly wiping away her anger to replace it with her usual politeness.

"Who the hell is this?" Ryoko asked as Washu finally appeared from behind him.

'_Why couldn't things go right just once?_' Washu thought and, with a sigh of regret, began introductions, "If the link was strong enough you should know his name. This is Mikamo, my husband." She decided to leave out that they had divorced. Mikamo noticed; he smiled at the thought.

"This is Aeka, the princess of Jurai. And this is my daughter Ryoko," she finished.

Mikamo obviously wanted to ask more questions about it, but his own formal upbringing took the initiative. He stepped forward, giving Washu time to lower the shield. With a small bow he spoke, "Mikamo Kuramitsu. A pleasure."

Ryoko interjected before any more formalities could take place, "You mean the dead husband?"

"Well he obviously isn't dead."

"What's he doing here?"

"I brought him here. Besides, it's really none of your business. Don't you know that the words 'Do Not Disturb' mean?" She had made the circular window on the door read 'Do Not Disturb' in hopes of keeping everyone out. A useless attempt, she realized in hind sight.

"I would have loved for it to stay out of your business, but I can't went I've got these gushy thoughts running through my head!" Ryoko clasped her hands together and spoke in a mocking tone, " 'Oh, Mikamo-kun! I love you, I love you! If only I could tell you!' "

Washu's face had turned beat red by then. She didn't dare look over to see what Mikamo thought of the outburst. Before Ryoko had even finished Washu was after her with a fist raised. She would have very well shut her daughter up too if it hadn't been for Mikamo grabbing one of her elbows, straining a little to hold her into place.

"Well maybe I should spill some of the stuff that's accidentally slipped through about your precious Tenchi!" she growled, taking on her own mocking tone, " 'Tenchi, you're the most-'"

Unfortunately Ryoko couldn't be pinned by Mikamo. She was on Washu in a flash, hand slapped over her mouth with the other on her neck. She probably would have choked her if her other hand hadn't been busy.

She yelled her retort, "Why, you little-" Ryoko stopped, glancing over Washu's older form. She only seemed to notice just then that she wasn't having to bend down to choke her mother. "Hey, why aren't you little any more?"

Washu pointed to her mouth. Ryoko realized she was still covering it and finally let go, releasing her mother completely to let her explain.  
Mikamo busted in first, however, "Please, we all obviously have a lot of questions that want to be answered. Perhaps we should go somewhere more comfortable to speak"  
The four of them had decided to settle into a little nook in the lab to keep the others from finding out on Washu's insistence, but it was hard to keep anything from anyone in that household. With the door gone and dinner approaching, Sasami soon popped in to get everyone for dinner. Upon seeing the unfamiliar face and more questions popping out, Washu finally relented and decided they should just go have dinner with the rest of the group.

"Everyone would find out anyway I'm sure," she sighed.

In a matter of moments they were all settled around the table, Mikamo settling in beside Washu. There was enough room due to the fact that Mihoshi hadn't showed up. Washu dismissed it, assuming she was sleeping or off attempting to do her job.

She was glad to see that practically none of the timeline had been changed. In fact, nothing seemed to be changed. Sasami appeared with the last bowl of rice, Ryo-ohki balanced on her shoulder. Ryoko was attempting to dig in before everyone else, but Aeka was up to her usual tricks of stopping her, usually by slapping her hands when they reached for the food. Tenchi was busy staring at both her and Mikamo, a look of surprise on his face that he tried his best to hide.

Washu stayed introverted as ever. She kept her expression cool as if nothing was different, though the noticeable silence settled over the group caused uneasiness. That and the constant small glances she felt Mikamo giving her. She could see light smiles he kept giving her as well whenever she dared to glance back.

The conversation flowed as soon as the food was finished being served. Ryoko began by poking and prodding for every bit of information she wanted. Mikamo answered politely as ever, telling about his past and how he got here, but he casually averted every question of why he had come by answering with his own questions. He asked about Ryoko's past along with Aeka's and Sasami's, obviously curious as to why two Jurai princesses were on Earth.

"How long will you be staying with us?" Sasami piped up. It was the first thing she had said aside from thank you to the compliments on the meal.

"That's a matter of debate at the moment," he answered. Washu met his glance with a glare.

"What is it Washu?" Ryoko soon cut in, another sly grin appearing, "Don't want to keep your little lover boy around? I don't see why. It has to be cold in that big lab all by yourself. I'm sure you need something warm to cuddle-"

Ryoko was quickly cut off by a flying bowl of rice landing directly on her face. Mikamo did his best to hold back a laugh, but Aeka had no such restraints. Her telltale jeering appeared, but for once Ryoko ignored it. She was too focused on getting back at her mother.

Ryoko pulled the bowl off of her face with a growl, a ball of energy appearing in her hand. Washu immediately wrapped an arm around Mikamo's while speaking, "Well it's been a lovely dinner, but we really must be going." She didn't allow anyone a chance to respond. With arm hooked with Mikamo's, she was able to transport him as well, both of them fading from existence and appearing in her lab.

Mikamo shifted as he unexpectedly appeared in the new area. He barely had time to get his feet under him, wobbling for a moment while gaining his balance, much to Washu's amusement. She held one of his elbows until he was stable.

"You can teleport?" he asked, a look of surprise covering his face.  
She nodded, "I made a time machine. You think teleporting would be difficult?"

He was about to respond, but his eyes had begun to wander. Surprise once again overtook him, for a place of great familiarity greeted him. A small field lay before them both, the sun set high in the sky despite the time. A large tree rest in the middle, its branches bowing to touch the ground, making a pocket of shade from the warmth. It was the place they first met.

"You made this?"

Washu only nodded her reply. She had been debating showing him. It would show that she still felt for him through the years, but that seemed to matter less and less as they spent time together.

Mikamo took hold of her hand and dashed forward, making his wife gasp in surprise. He happily marveled at the branches and leaves as Mikamo tugged her beneath the massive tree and away from the heat, small whispers of praise leaving his lips and once again making Washu swell with pride.

"I take you've missed me as much as I missed you then," he questioned softly. He shifted slightly, almost as if going on guard for another barrage of verbal attack.

But she gave none. Instead she nodded, "When I stop working sometimes. When I see children. Even Sasami-chan makes me think of you every now and then." For once she was being frank instead of using her cat-like ability to slip away from undesirable things.

Before she knew what was happening his arms were around her waist again, fingers at the small of her back, pulling her forward with sudden urgency. Their bodies melted together again, his cheek against hers as he whispered, "I can't even describe how much I've wanted this moment for so many years."

Mikamo gave no chance for her to speak. His head lifted then and, with passions flowing and love spilling free, his lips finally met hers; their first kiss in thousands of years.


	9. Chapter 9: Runaway Love

Author's Notes: Thank you for being patient! This is the chapter befor ethe end of the story. Since I was so behind anyway, I went ahead and wrote the last chapter as well. It should be up minutes after this one! There won't be any author's notes on that one since I have nothign esle to say for this story. It will speak for itself. 

Thank you all for reading and I hope you enjoyed the story as much as I enjoyed writing it!

---Chapter 9-  
Runaway Love

Washu slowly drifted back to consciousness, eyes fluttering open after a gratifying sleep. She was greeted with the sight of her husband lying peacefully as ever beneath the tree, sleeping with one arm tucked tightly around her midsection. Washu couldn't help but smile, fingers running gently across his sleeping face, pushing back the soft, blonde curls of his hair that had fallen free during their night of passion.

More than any experience so far, she did not want this one to end. For she knew that even though the sun simulated here was high in the sky, outside it was morning. The dawn of the day when they would have to separate again, this time for good.

But did it really have to be for good? Her thoughts were muddled by emotions that she had suppressed for far too long. Now all she could do was think about how much she wanted Mikamo to stay. And how very lost she would be without him. Her mind nagged and chided her for ever building the machine, for dredging up all of these things that should have never been brought to her attention again.

Instead of looking to the past, she tried to look to the future. A future that could have a much happier ending if one tiny detail of the past were to fix itself without Mikamo. She prayed and hoped it had.

Washu carefully played her hand across the one that Mikamo still held her captive with. It took a bit of convincing to finally get him to remove himself. Even when he was still asleep, he didn't want to let her go. The thought alone made her smile.

Washu shifted up from beneath a blanket she had conjured in the middle of the night. Fingers brushed her hair back before one long stretch was given. She felt more alive than she had in years, all because her husband was beside her again. A satisfied sigh later, her fingers poised in front of her to make the transparent keyboard and screen appear again.

She typed quickly, pulling up records of the new and altered history that she had yet to look at; the one without Mikamo. As she read on, the feeling of warmth and comfort that filled her every being turned cold as ice. All had gone wrong. Terribly, terribly wrong.

---  
Washu heard Mikamo moving a short while later. She had already put up her hair and dressed, but she didn't dare go near him again. She was so mixed with emotion, she wasn't sure if she could handle them all at once. She was angry at him for ever coming, happy that he did, relieved that they had spent time together again, and heartbroken with the news she had received. It all made sense really. She was in love again, or maybe she always had been. Now it was apparent though, and that frightened her more than anything.

She stood outside the comforting curtain of leaves that the tree had made. The last thing she needed was the memories of their little haven to clutter her mind even more. She even closed her eyes to try and block them out, arms crossed over her chest to protect herself as Mikamo came behind her and placed his hands on her hips, delivering soft kisses to her neck.

It didn't take long for him to realize something was wrong. His breath played across her skin as he spoke, "Has something happened?"

"Yes. You have to go back."

He held still a moment. His fingers clenched on her sides, then loosened again. She didn't have to see his smile to know that it was there. The playful tone of his voice said it all, "Oh? I thought last night might have changed your mind about that."

She didn't bother explaining or trying to push him off. She only raised her fingers again, keyboard coming into place. She fingered her way through the history logs even as Mikamo wrapped himself tighter around her, chin resting on her as he read over her shoulder.

Washu spoke as she typed, doing her best to keep all emotion out of her voice, "We left him alone with no explanation. Mikumo had just met me, his real mother, and at the same time I disappeared, you disappeared as well. I should have thought of that when it happened. I should have thought of how that would affect him.

"He was moved in with your father after our disappearance-" Washu stopped a moment, feeling Mikamo tense. She knew Mikamo and his father hadn't gotten along well; he obviously didn't approve of the events. She continued, "-He didn't stay long though. Instead he.."

But Washu couldn't say the words out loud. She wouldn't have been able to force her voice out. She let him read and she felt her eyes sting while scrolling through the text. Mikumo had committed suicide.

Her voice was quieter now, "An entire line of Seniwa rulers was lost, not to mention their children and so forth. The planet of Seniwa was destroyed without you or your children there to lead them."

Washu was startled by how quickly he let go of her. She turned to face him, the computer fading out of existence. She didn't say anything, only watched him. His trembling fist and closed eyes were enough to tell her just how much emotion was running through him.

His voice was but a whisper, "I never should have left you. I never should have taken Mikamo. We could all be living happily if it weren't for me. I shouldn't have let my father push me around."

"No, Mikamo-san," Washu sighed out, "There's reason for everything that happens in life. If you hadn't done that, I wouldn't be where I am now. I wouldn't have saved the many lives that I have or made the friends that I have now. I wouldn't have a daughter or the many creations I do, like Ryo-ohki."

"And that's more important to you than Mikumo and I?"

"Their lives are, yes," Washu said without hesitation, "You and Mikumo are my happiness, my love. But I would give that up to make sure my friends and daughter was alive and well."

Mikamo sighed, a note of bitterness in his tone, "It sounds like you choose them over me and your own son."

She shook her head, "No, Mikamo. I can't choose between you and my other family. I'm simply choosing the unaltered past that we had before that machine. It's much happier than the one that has come to be."

The mention of that past brought the troublesome issues back to point. Mikamo didn't speak and Washu knew why. It was time to say goodbye.

---  
"Come with me," Mikamo begged desperately, "We can find a way for everything to work out. We'll go get Mikumo and live a much happier life somewhere, anywhere! We won't even have to look at the history of what's happened. We'll just pick a time and place and go."

Washu ignored him. Not because she thought his idea ridiculous, but because she was half tempted to follow him. She loved him that much, but the thought that Ryoko, Ryo-ohki, Tenchi, and everyone else made her press on. Everyone had actually managed to come into existence and live in this new universe, save for one. Washu had learned some time ago that Mihoshi was related to her. When they went to eat the other night, she assumed Mihoshi was simply away on another mission.

Now she understood. She didn't want to know what else had changed. She wanted everything to be as it was and leave it at that.

They were in the room she had built for the time machine now. She was typing away at the keyboard again, doing her best to ignore Mikamo who hovered close by. He continued to talk, formulating new plans and ways for her, him and their son to live happily ever after in some fairy paradise.

She was only distracted once from her work. When he noticed his ideas weren't getting through, he wrenched her by her elbow and forcefully pulled her away. She gasped in surprise, but not from pain. All the more surprising, he twirled her suddenly, pulling her into his grip and placing his lips against hers.

His grip was familiar, his body warm and calling. His lips were soft, but forceful, as were hers, every ounce of her given to his will. She could be safe there in his arms, forever happy never wanting.

Sense soon gripped her. In a flash she was pushing him away, untangling herself from his grasp. She was running from the emotions as much as she was forcing herself from his grasp. It only took a moment for her to regain her well practiced, emotionless stance. She went back to her work without a word to him, without meeting his eyes. She was afraid to look at him, for she might give in to his will.

"Washu, please! You can't do this!" Mikamo exclaimed.

"It's time," she said in a straight, final tone.

The time machine hummed and came to life, the frame of the door filling with a myriad of colors. They swirled and twisted just as they had when she first stepped through. She made sure her remote was secure in its compartment, assuring that Mikamo wouldn't find his way into stealing it.

When she turned to face him, she could see that he was doing his best to hold back his tears. She clenched her jaw, feeling her own eyes well, but doing the same as him. They stood silent a few moments, but Washu was the first to break. She rushed forward, arms lacing around his stiffened body, letting out uncontrollable sobs into his chest.

He held her, pet her, comforted her as he had always done. Even as she felt his own tears dropping onto her shoulder. She wasn't sure how much time passed. It could have been hours, days, she didn't care. She just didn't want it to end.

Mikamo tiled her chin, his lips covering her own again. She could feel it; she knew this would be their last kiss for all eternity. They would never lay eyes on one another again.

And Mikamo wasn't going to let go. She could feel it in every bone of her body; he simply couldn't do it. She gave into the kiss as she always had, putting herself and her emotions into him, as he did her.

But before he could know what was going on, her arms had moved. She gave one harsh push to his chest, forcing him toward the door of the machine. She whispered three last words to him that she hoped he would hold onto and cherish, "I love you."

The shove was enough. A few seconds later, he had dissipated into the door of swirling colors.

Suddenly her weight seemed too much to bear. She crumpled to the ground and cried, so hard that she could hear her sobs vibrate off of the surrounding metals. She didn't care and she wasn't sure if she would care about anything ever again.

Her love was gone. Gone for good.


	10. Chapter 10: Swan Song

---Chapter 10--- 

Swan Song

In her lab, Washu stared at the plans she had absent-mindedly made the night before. She studied them thoroughly, looking for any false calculations, seeing if she could actually pull it off. Obviously her subconscious wanted her to and she wasn't sure she could live with herself if she didn't do it.  
She just wanted to see him one more time. Just one more time. All she had to do was build a time machine and then she could-  
Her train of thought was cut off by a large. Blinding light forming only meters away. She squinted, immediately judging the forms of energy, which caused her to not be all too surprised when an adult version of herself stepped through.  
She didn't wonder at her adult form, but more at that fact that her other self looked weary. Not the kind of weary she got into when she was working, but the kind that came from hundreds of years of distraught emotions. The kind she had forcefully pushed down.  
"I'm guessing I built the time machine then," Washu said.  
Her future self nodded, "Yes, unfortunately. I'm here to make sure you don't." The future Washu poised her fingers in a different position now. They formed as if she was holding a thick piece of paper, a semi-transparent tablet appearing between them. She moved to her younger self and gently placed it in her hands. "Read it and you'll understand why. You'll know exactly what happens and you'll know why it shouldn't." The future Washu pulled out a remote and clicked a few buttons. The portal appeared again, just as bright as ever. There was no need to say anything else. They both knew one another too well to need communication. The future Washu only gave a nod before stepping through the portal, which disappeared shortly after as if it had never been.  
The younger Washu immediately brought up the information saved upon the file. She was a little confused at first, for it seemed to be some sort of book. It even had a title; "Swan Song".

---

Hours later, in the middle of the night, Washu emerged from her lab. She had finished the lab. She had finished what was much like a novel, but was just a telling of one possible future. She didn't like it, and yet she did. She was confused at all of the roused emotions, but refused to admit them to herself. She needed something, anything, to help her find a solid place in her mind. Something she knew and loved that was here now. She knew where to look.  
Her body dissipated, appearing in adult form upon Ryoko's beam near the roof. She appeared in a way that forced Ryoko's head into her lap, fingers brushing at her eyes to use a physical concoction that made sure Ryoko slept. She had done it more than once, for she loved her daughter. She just wasn't good at expressing it. Washu brushed at her hair idly, watching Ryoko fall into a deeper sleep and breath even easier.  
This was something she loved; her daughter. And Tenchi, Ryo-ohki, Aeka, Kiyone, Sasami, even the absent-minded Mihoshi. She loved them all so much, just as she loved Mikamo and Mikumo. It was hard to make a decision between the two.  
But in the end, she had already decided what was best. At least her future self had, and she had good reasons for it. These were the paths she had chosen through her life; there was no going back to redo them.  
She would stay with her original path and walk the road presented to her.  
The time machine was a transportation to one fleeting, beautiful thing that appeared before its inevitable death. One last burst of hope and love; a swan's song.


End file.
